Esha from Safe Futures

Esha came into Safe Futures’ Phoenix House Transitional Housing program with very few tangible belongings. She and her children had spent years with an abusive partner, but Esha had other goals in mind. She wanted to create a safe home for herself and her children, to teach her children that violence is never ok, and encourage them to speak out against it.

“I was at a stand-still in life,” Esha says. “I wasn’t fulfilling my life or my kids’ lives. I wanted to show them that I’m not weak.”

Esha and her two children fled, contacted United Way 2-1-1, and stayed at an emergency shelter until a space became available at Pheonix House. “When I decided to leave the domestic violence situation,” Esha says, “my mind and heart were fighting. I had to follow what was right for my kids.”

She says she was relieved when she arrived at Phoenix house, and the staff is always friendly and helpful, no matter how many residents are there and diverse needs. “We provide everything in support,” says Fenty Lee, Director of Residential Programs, “but the rest is up to you.”

Phoenix House residents are victims and families who have experienced domestic violence and who are in need of safe housing combined with support services. The programs help residents develop life skills to live independently. Education and job training are integral parts of the program. The Phoenix House program also offers:

•     Safety planning and risk assessment
•     Individual case management
•     Financial assistance for education and job training
•     Educational workshops on topics such as budgeting, nutrition, and home maintenance
•     Parenting education and support groups

Esha’s main goal was to get her oldest child to college, where he is now as a freshman living on campus and studying Engineering. “I don’t want them to have to go through what I did,” she noted.

Though she herself didn’t go to college earlier in life, she now has earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Her education comes in handy at her job – she works remotely and assists customers with their website-related problems. “My manager sends me the escalated cases,” Esha laughs.

Esha and her kids have moved out of Phoenix House and moved into more permanent housing.

Story link from the United Way: https://www.uwsect.org/esha#